New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-02

JOSEF HOFMANNs SECOND Coycrpr

At his second concert in tho Metropolitan Or.
House yesterday afternoon Josef Holman the ,,..
ciOus pianist played Beethoven cunecrto I'm r. -,
and Mcndelssohn's capricco In B-nnor, areomr,,,ss
by q grand orchcstrs under the direction % sso,.s
YcucndorR, and sctwecn them gave four so.o< ~.
vottc by f!..m, Rnbinsrr,a's Romance. Go.tsr,.,v.
Banancr" and an improvisation ~ q thsms p,,,.s
by Mr. Walter J. Dsmroseh Pcsidcs fsfn;,sJne ,.,.
music Mr. Abbey called In the assistance OF fov ~ ,
artists whom he had engaged for the Cersfcr troare
Madame Hastrciter, who sang E'lsabefh's' enfr,s.
air from "Tsnnhsuserr signor do Anna Who ,sr, ~.
Torcador's" song from "Caunen' 10 tafier<: Ms
Carpenter, who played Saint Sacns's Hue and dlxrc>x
"Conccrtstuck' with almost faulilcss technqr. b.,
drily, and Madame saeconi, who played a harm "A,
for which Il difficult 10 find a reason In s-eh
concert. The orchestra also contributed wctrs ,,..
turc TO "Obcrone and wagbcr's overture 10 Pleps.
The concert, II will bc seen, offered much hl-hel..
entertainment and might be discussed from seyer.s
points Of vew but the most Significant fcltns. az a
furnished by the wonderful Polish child n.
audience camo to testing the capacity % IA.
room, and there a repetition Of those scenes "A
enthusiasm which marked tho lads fist cohest. la,
Tuesday evening Tho expressions OF wondering A.
light reached their climax after the imp,oy s.ton
The afternoon offered no new OF w0n,sr q.
those who had already had an OPPORTUNITY to s,asv
the boy, but II left the aDazemcnt caused by NJ. GA
performances undlminshed re Il asfousa,,
qualifications which the ordinary Of Humankind a.
tain only th,uugh years OF study aad prsrtlce nM.
Is virtuoso alive who is beyond cnvyng The lad IN,
rcposefIlness and case with which he attacks The ,
dnlcut Of the tasks which his selections provide ,,s
ii Is impossible to listen 10 his interpret alton, With
out being forced to recognize that be Is guided BY vs
terIous ntritions which do for him all that sirdms
and ample reflection docs for the mature musician
For the benefit of the many who would feel ant a
spiritual rcfreshmcn II they cOnd be Convinced that
unquesiioned genius had been born into this ro,ls
and uttafian age, the opinion may be expressed tat
young Hoffman, is genius II not a musIclsa ia the
broad sense, at least as pisnofortc player We NAV
not be able to associate him with Mozart and rrn.
delssohn, but We with List. His playing slahds
In the first rank though his lmproysng Is srarrely
less remarkable considering his years. Mr. DamrtscA
yesterday gave him the melody Of the waltz IN one Of
Tschakowshys orchestral suites for treatment. Tie
period a rather long one though cumpo,ed Of ths
rbythmical and nc0dc feuro repeated OF varou.
intervals The severest test which II Imposed on tho
memory that OF retaining the ntelyac relations Of Ito
repettons. the lad failed in, but ne used Tho Hguc
cevcrly and moduated II TO the evident delight OF MI
Damrosch, who applaudod him generously whcn he had
finished. more Interesting feat Of the same
one that he accomplished Wednesday ate m
in private, when simple mnuet subiec. written
out, placed the pian0forte and hc ed 80
time IT, This test Of his knowledge sous. u
musical form,' and there little cxpeciai on TIA,
he would meet after his father explained tina be hal
not yet given the child lessons In composition Never
theess after he had taken he melody into his wonder
fully reteDivc memory, he applied second part In
strict form, Of which the composer Of the miDJct would
not have been ashamed, and In the repetition varied
the accompaniment ingenOusly wi bout departing lom
the spirit of tho old fas hioned dance. the Sane
occasion he gave proof of his frtly OF resource aud u
the possession Of tho Of absolute Itch by PLAYING
a sort of diaogucduct with Mr. otto FlOef~heim. ~
ting at second pianOfOrte he would take I'D
phrase from Mr. Fl0efshe I'M contine IL for tw"nfy
thirty bars and then In turn hand uT lsled
material to hts companion for development. IN the
evening" after the first act OF Iohcagrrn.- Mr. Fosr-
helm met him and asted him the note Witch q small
tunng-fork gave out He replied without heslfalion
81 Is A. but little sharp" The answer strictly
correct The tuning fork gave ont the of tho ri.-h
I'm which the Stenway pianofortcs tuned which Is
a trdc higher than the concert y.lch common PB-
rope. Mr. Abbey has arranged two concerts IN adm.
ton to that announced for Saturday evrr'rr They
will take place next week In the Metropolitan ORA
House Tuesday afternoon at half past O'Clock and